Officers executed the search warrant after receiving information that an IP address belonging to the 72-year-old, who served on the town's council, had downloaded a category B indecent image of a child.

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Officers seized various computer equipment and memory sticks belonging to Bird. They were analysed and found to contain 52 indecent images in the most serious category of A, 109 category B images and 432 category C images.

During police interview Bird admitted being on a site and moving images from a memory stick on to his computer to view.

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Passing sentence, Judge Michael Heath told him:"You are an intelligent man. You served as a parish councillor for a number of years and you served as a special constable for 20 years.

"But over a period you became involved in the viewing of indecent photographs of children."

The judge added: "Real children are abused in the manufacture of this material."

Bird was jailed for eight months.

An NSPCC spokesman said: "Each indecent image is a crime scene which depicts innocent children suffering the most horrific abuse.

"By downloading this material, Bird was fuelling the demand for this gutter industry – potentially leading to more victims being harmed.

"To help tackle this vile trade, the NSPCC is calling on internet companies and authorities to help cut off supply and remove this content by sharing their information, expertise and resources effectively."

Anyone concerned about a child can call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000, while children and young people can contact Childline for free and in confidence here, or on 0800 1111.